Broom-moistener.



PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

L. G. EGGBR.

BROOM MOISTENER.

APPLIOATIOH rmm 16.28, 1907.

WITNESSES:

m. G u) 0 w 6 I n: mum's pzrnu'c UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE.

LEROY G. EGGER, OF BUFFALO, IOWA.

BROOM-MOISTENEB.

Application filed August 28, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEROY G. Eecnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Imrovements in Broom-Moisteners; and I do ereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in moistening devices, and

more particularly to that class adapted to be employed for moistening brooms, when the same are being used for sweeping purposes, and my object is to provide a device of this class which may be readily attached to or removed from the broom.

A further objectis to provide means for holding a quantity of water or the like and dispensing the same into engagement with the straws adjacent the lower end of the broom.

A further object is to provide means for regulating the flow of the fluid from the tank, and a still further object is to provide means for causing forced circulation of the fluid through the dispensing portion of the tank.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application, Figure 1, is an edge elevation of a portion of a broom showing my improved moistener attached thereto, and Fig. 2, is an elevation of the moistener removed from the broom, parts thereof being in sections.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the handle portion of a broom to the lower end of which is secured the usual form of broom straw 2, said straws forming the body of the broom.

In order to readily moisten the straws of.

the broom so that when the same is used for sweeping purposes the dust will be allayed,

I provide means for introducing water or the.

like into engagement with the lower ortion of the broom straws, which consists o a tank 3, the upper end of which is provided with a lateral extension 4 adapted to extend over and engage the upper edge of the body of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 24, 1908.

Serial No. 390,518.

broom formed by the straws 2, said extension being provided at its longitudinal center with a semicircular cavity 5 in which is seated the lower end of the handle 1 of the broom, and in order to removably secure the tank to the broom, spring arms 6 are secured to the extension 4 at each side of the cavity 5, said spring arms being curved inwardly so that they will bind on the handle when the handle is seated in the cavity. The tank 3 is also provided at each edge with spring arms 7, which are adapted to engage the edges of the broom and hold the lower end of the tank in a fixed position on the broom. The lower end of the tank 3 is provided with a plurality of spouts 8, the lower ends of which are curved inwardly so that when the tank is roperly secured to the broom the lower on s of the spouts 8 will be substantially in the center of the broom, said spouts being provided at their free ends with horizontally dis osed nozzles 9 which are provided with a p urality of openings 10 through which the fluid escapes into engagement with the straws of the broom. The upper ends of the spouts 8 are provided with seats 12 for a valve 13, said valve being suspended from the upper end of the tank 3 by means of a stem 14, and in order to prevent leakage of the fluid, between the valve and the seats 12 I referably secure a asket or the like 15 to the ower face of the va ve so that when the valve is lowered the gasket will form a perfect seal for the upper ends of the spouts.

In order to control the movement of the valve 13 and regulate the flow of the fluid through the spouts 8, the upper end of the stem 14 is threaded'to receive an adjusting nut 16, said nut being in turn secured in a slot 17 formed in a bracket 18, and it will be seen that when the nut is rotated the stem and valve thereon will be gradually raised or lowered, the bracket holding the nut stationary, thereby causing the stem to travel through the nut.

If for any reason the fluid should fail to flow properly through the spouts 8, I have provided means for directing the fluid through the spouts under pressure, which consists of a curved plate 19, said plate being slidably mounted on the stem 14 and is operated by means of a rod 20 secured at its lower end to the plate and extending above the upper end of the tank, said rod being provided with a knob 21 so that the rod may be readily moved upwardly and downwardly in the tank. The concaved face of the plate 19 is placed downwardly so that when the plate is elevated the same will readily pass through the fluid, but will gather the fluid on its down- Ward stroke and force the same into the spouts 8.

When the broom is not in use the valve 13 is lowered into engagement with the seats, thereby stopping the flow of the fluid from the tank, and the tank may also be filled when the valve is in its lowered position by removing a screw-cap 22 at the upper end of the tank. When, however, the broom is in use the valve 13 is raised a suitable distance from the seats through the medium of the adjusting nut 16, thereby allowing the fluid to readily flow into engagement with the straws of the broom and the quantity of the fluid passing through the spouts may be readily regulated by the valve 18.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very cheap and economical means for applying a moistener to a broom, and one that can be readily attached to, or removed from the broom. It will further be seen that I have provided means for regulating or entirely stopping the flow of the fluid from the tank, and further that the fluid may be directed through the spouts under pressure when the spouts fail to properly deliver the fluid.

What I claim is:

1. A moistener of the class described, comprising the combination with a tank, a lateral extension at the upper end of said tank, a

plurality of curved spouts at the lower end of said tank, and means to secure the tank to the broom and direct the lower ends of the spouts into the broom, of a valve in said tank, seats at the upper ends of said spouts, a supporting stem for said valve the upper end of which is provided with threads, a nut on the threaded end of said stem, a bracket adapted to hold said nut and cause the stem to move through the nut when the nut is turned, and means to force the contents of the tank through the spouts.

2. A moistener of the class described, comprising a tank, a lateral extension at the uper end of said tank having a cavity at its ongitudinal center, a plurality of spouts depending through said tank, seats at the upper ends of said spouts, a valve adapted to engage said seats and stop the flow of the fluid through the spouts, a supporting stem for said valve, means at the upper end of said stem to adjust said valve, a curved plate slidably mounted on said stem, means to loWer and raise said plate whereby the fluid will be directed through the spouts, and means to secure the tank to a broom.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEROY G. EGGER.

Witnesses ANDREW ZOGG, HUGO HOFFBAUER. 

